History was made, comebacks were completed, and the playoff race just got a little tighter. If you missed the action last night, you missed one of the most electric Tuesdays of the 2025-26 NHL season. From a historic milestone in Edmonton to a miraculous finish in Toronto, here is everything you need to know from around the league.
Draisaitl Makes History as the “German Gretzky”
The headline of the night belongs to Leon Draisaitl. The Edmonton Oilers superstar recorded four assists against the Pittsburgh Penguins, becoming the first German-born player in NHL history to reach the 1,000-point milestone. He is the fifth-fastest player born outside North America to hit the mark, further cementing his legacy as one of the game’s all-time greats. Meanwhile, on the other side of the ice, Sidney Crosby collected an assist, putting him just one point away from tying Mario Lemieux’s legendary franchise scoring record.
Toronto’s Miracle on Bay Street
While history was being written in Pittsburgh, absolute chaos was unfolding at Scotiabank Arena. The Toronto Maple Leafs, trailing the Chicago Blackhawks 2-1 late in the third period, looked destined for a frustrating loss. But in a span of just eight seconds, the narrative flipped. Auston Matthews tied the game with under four minutes to go, and before the crowd could even sit down, Dakota Joshua batted in the game-winner. It was a stunning 3-2 victory that showcased the Leafs’ resilience, even as they navigate a tricky stretch of the schedule.
Wild Perfection & Injury Woes
The Minnesota Wild continue to look like the league’s most dangerous team since acquiring Quinn Hughes. They blanked the Washington Capitals 5-0, marking their fifth straight win and seventh shutout of the season. Filip Gustavsson was perfect in net, and the chemistry between Hughes and Kirill Kaprizov is already terrifying the rest of the Central Division.
Elsewhere, the injury bug has bitten hard. Connor Bedard has been placed on IR with an upper-body injury, leaving a massive hole in the Blackhawks’ lineup, while the Kings lost goaltender Darcy Kuemper to an injury early in their loss to Dallas.
NHL Game Scores & Notes: December 16, 2025
| Matchup | Score | Key Notes |
| Maple Leafs vs. Blackhawks | TOR 3-2 | Leafs score 2 goals in 8 seconds late in the 3rd to steal the win. |
| Oilers vs. Penguins | EDM 6-1 | Draisaitl hits 1,000 career points; McDavid (2G, 2A) dominates. |
| Canucks vs. Rangers | VAN 3-0 | Thatcher Demko earns his 10th career shutout at MSG. |
| Wild vs. Capitals | MIN 5-0 | Wild win 5th straight; Gustavsson impeccable in net. |
| Red Wings vs. Islanders | DET 3-2 | Alex DeBrincat scores twice to fuel the Wings’ offense. |
| Predators vs. Blues | NSH 5-2 | Filip Forsberg nets his 11th career hat trick. |
| Blue Jackets vs. Ducks | CBJ 4-3 (OT) | Adam Fantilli plays hero with the OT winner. |
| Panthers vs. Lightning | FLA 5-2 | Sam Reinhart stays hot with 2 goals; Panthers roll. |
| Stars vs. Kings | DAL 4-1 | Jason Robertson and the Stars stifle LA; Kuemper injured. |
| Senators vs. Jets | OTT 3-2 (OT) | Brady Tkachuk powers the Sens to a gritty road win. |
| Avalanche vs. Kraken | COL 5-3 | MacKinnon reclaims scoring lead with a massive night. |
| Sharks vs. Flames | SJS 6-2 | Macklin Celebrini explodes for 4 points in a rout. |
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